First time chickens!

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

Hello all! I’ve had ducks for a year or two now but today, I became a chicken owner! I got 5 chickens from Rural king.

1 polish
1 silkie
1 bantam
2 black sex links
All female.

One of my black sex links had poopy butt so I soaked her and warmed her up. I’ll be keeping an eye on her but all 4 seem to be doing well except my bantam.

She’s so small and the other run over her or they’ll be huddled together and she will be to herself. She doesn’t move when I bring my hand near her. She’s hunched, eyes closed. She did eat some food and still chirps. Right now, I have her out and on a heating pad with some stuffed animals. I’ve never had a single issue with any ducklings and I’m so nervous about this chick. Anything I should be doing to make sure she makes it??

 

[rosemarythyme]

Possibly she got chilled in transit or trampled in store, or could be a failure to thrive case, but impossible to know for sure. I'd get some Poulty Nutri-Drench and direct dose her (be careful as chickens can aspirate liquids) with a couple drops 1-2x a day, to help boost her energy and perk her up. Does she eat on her own or only when prompted?

 

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

Possibly she got chilled in transit or trampled in store, or could be a failure to thrive case, but impossible to know for sure. I'd get some Poulty Nutri-Drench and direct dose her (be careful as chickens can aspirate liquids) with a couple drops 1-2x a day, to help boost her energy and perk her up. Does she eat on her own or only when prompted?

I kept her on the heating pad for about an hour and then placed her with the rest of the babies and she’s been perked up ever since! Eating and drinking. I’m assuming she was chilled and stressed from the movement

 

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

UPDATE: since I’ve made this post, she done amazing running around, eating and drinking. But as of today, she passed randomly.

I went to tractor supply and got a new bulb with more wattage (120). An hour or two later, I went to check on them and noticed that all of them were eating and drinking while she was laid flat out under the light. My light is not really close but enough to feel warmth on their bedding so I assume she was sleeping. I nudged her and she didn’t perk up like they normally do. I picked her up, she was warm. Not chilled, not overheating. Her eyes were closed, not picking her head up and I could flip flop her side to side and she stayed. I gave her water and she drank. I gave her clear pedialyte and put her on a heating pad and she drank a little bit until she started gasping for air. She then became even weaker and every once in awhile, spaz out. After gasping for air, she then started losing liquid out of her mouth. A little then a lot (to the point to where she couldn’t get it all out and keeping her from breathing) until she died.

I’ve never experienced this, it’s a first. What happened?

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

There is a thing called sudden chicken death. I had something very similar to what you're describing happen with mt second batch of chicks after I stayed up all night with the poor thing. Sometimes they are just too fragile. It happens unfortunately.

 

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

There is a thing called sudden chicken death. I had something very similar to what you're describing happen with mt second batch of chicks after I stayed up all night with the poor thing. Sometimes they are just too fragile. It happens unfortunately.

It doesn’t sound like an illness that could be spread? It’s just weird that she’s been great and then randomly go like that.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

It doesn’t sound like an illness that could be spread? It’s just weird that she’s been great and then randomly go like that.

No it sounds like a weak chick and a set of unfortunate circumstances. When you cleaned up her pasty butt how wet did she get? The saying "a wet chick is a dead chick" is legit but it didn't seem to me that was the problem. Its also possible she ate something bad like bedding since you say she kind of emptied her crop. It sounds so similar to what happened to me though that I am inclined to think she just wasn't strong. In future I would keep Nutri-Drench on hand. I have since saved many a chick with it. I don't think you did anything wrong though. Some chicks just don't make it and its not necessarily anything we do or don't do.

 

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

No it sounds like a weak chick and a set of unfortunate circumstances. When you cleaned up her pasty butt how wet did she get? The saying "a wet chick is a dead chick" is legit but it didn't seem to me that was the problem. Its also possible she ate something bad like bedding since you say she kind of emptied her crop. It sounds so similar to what happened to me though that I am inclined to think she just wasn't strong. In future I would keep Nutri-Drench on hand. I have since saved many a chick with it. I don't think you did anything wrong though. Some chicks just don't make it and its not necessarily anything we do or don't do.

She has pasty butt the first day I brought her home and that was it. I put nutri drench in their water as well. She’s been great since Sunday, except these last few hours

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

She has pasty butt the first day I brought her home and that was it. I put nutri drench in their water as well. She’s been great since Sunday, except these last few hours

Sounds like you did all you could! Don't beat yourself up. I always get a couple more chicks than I actually want because roosters and death...and chicken math lol

 

[KentuckyDuckMomma]

Sounds like you did all you could! Don't beat yourself up. I always get a couple more chicks than I actually want because roosters and death...and chicken math lol

Thank you! She was my tiny little bantam and a favorite I’m down to 4 and will possibly be getting more now that I know how quickly things can turn and how fragile they are.